Blanket tensioning means



Feb. 3, 1953 w. F. HUcK TAL 2,627,230

BLANKET TENSIONING MEANS Original Filed May 26, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 da F? ,9,2 p6.

INVENToRs Feb. 3, 1953 w. F. HUCK ETAL 2,627,230

BLANKET TENSIONING MEANS Original Filed May 26, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENToRs md Feb. 3, 1953 w. F. HUCK ErAL BLANKET TENsIoNING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed May 26, 1945 INVENToRs Mm as d/ Feb. 3, 1953 w. F. HucK ETAL 2,627,230

BLANKET TENSIONING MEANS original Filed May 2e, 1945 4 sheets-sheet 4 LMT".

Patented Feb. 3, 12953 -BLANKET V'.IENSIONING VMEANS `William F."-`Huck, LForest Hills, and Franz JHeller,

Mount `Vernon, N. Y., and Alexander vJ. :'Albrecht, WestNew York, N. J., assignors `to Ra-Hoe & `-Go.,Inc., New York, N.-Y.,Aa' corporation` of` New :York

Original "application May "26, 1945, SerialNm 595,898. 'Divided' and this' applicationfJ-anuary A \1Claim.

1 This invention relates i to printing .machines and more particularly to `arnethodand `means `for installing and tensioning-press blankets and cylinder` packing lon printing .l cylinders thereof.

One object ofthe 'invention is to provideia new and improved method and'fmeans for installing and "tensioning packingrsheets `andfblanlrets on cylinders of printing! machines.

Another object' ofthe invention 'is to `provide a new and improved means `for `springftensioning pressblanket clamping Vdevices''whereby Aany.' slack developing in the blanket will-be taken up by the tensioning means.

It is alsoan object of the inventionfto provide fa new and improved blanket `tightening `device `of generally improvedcon'struction, whereby the -pression cylinder cfa-newspaper printing 4machine with portions ibroken away Ato lshow parts `within `the cylinder;

FigurelZis an end viewof-the impression cylinder as seen on the line 2-2"o1`Figure 1, and in the direction ofarr'ows 2; l

Figure '3 is an 'enlarged fragmentary view.

showing a portion `of a clampingdevicefor'holding one end of a Vdrafwsheet used with cylinder i packing;

Figure 3A is a `sectional View on the line 3ft-3A of Figure 3 Vand `as seen 4in the Vdirection of arrows 3A;

Figure iis an exploded-perspective view" ofia reel rod and associated parts;

Figures'i, 6, 'landare -sectionaiviewson the' Figure 4 andas seen'in the `direction of therei spective arrows;

Figure `9 isa perspective `view of a spring rod fused rin connection with the reelv rod' shown in Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a perspective-view ofthespring 'rod shown inv FigurerQ but showing the rodunder torsion;

\ Figure 11 is a sectiorxal'v View ofafporton'of the L impressioncylinder fshewn A'ini Figurelv 1, `on the' line ||-'II ofthat gure'and as seenin kthe direction ofLarrows l I;

VFigure 12 -is a view f avportion oflv the -eylinder -as shown inFigure12,1partlyl-lbrokenaway and 1 showingV partsinl setion;

(C1. lill- 4151) Figure 13 is a top -view show-ing .amethod `or fastening the end off'a blanket'tothetightening device, asseen in Ythe direction Vof `the'arrow I3 of Figure 10;

Figure 14 is la sectional 'viewfgenerallysi-milar to Figure 12, broken awayand partly in section, as seen on the broken line lll-I4 :of .Figure 1;

Figure 15 is a sectional view onthe broken line 15-15 of Figure 14, as seen in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 16 shows a modified form Iof ,the invention.

The present application isa division `ofapplication Ser. No. 595,898, led'May 26, `19415, and matured into Letters PatentNo. 2,541,254, issued February 13, 1951,IforxBlanketTensioning Means, the present 4application beingdirected moreparticularly to the invention asiembodied inthe form illustrated in Fig.f16 of the drawing.

Referring to the drawings, ,theinvention is shown as applied to an ino-pression cylinder 2|, that may cooperate 'Withaplate cylinder (not shown) to form la Aprinting,couplei'inza printing machine. The Aimpression cylinder is rotatably supported by antiiriction' bearings,ione of vwhich is shown at 22,'carriedby aiframe vmember23.

Each end of the cylinderis;providedrwithla longitudinally `disposedgap. 24l ('EiguresrL 11, 12 and 14) having communicatingbores Zrrvand 26h, anda slotl connecting'thelbores withthe surface Vof-the cylinder. Reelrods ZSa-and 29h (Figures 14 .and` 15) are! positioned iin .the bores and eachl has a shoulder 3l (ligures'lland' 15) against whicha bushingrSZabuts andris held in place bya set screw 33. Thekbushings32 `are journaled `in the' inner end of the bores 2da ,and 2Gb, and thereby rotatablysupport theinner end of the reel rodsi29aand' 29h. fSecond bushings 34, pressed into the outer ends ofthe boresZGa and 26h, and tabutting shoulders` 35, Vrotatably support the outer ends `of Athe reel rods.

The reel 'rods ihave ,axially positioned cylindrical bores 36,. the innerendsof AWhichare enlarged as at 31 (Figure 1) to receivefbushings 38. The bushings 38, which astherein` shown have axially disposed `square .holes .39 extending through them, are" forced'into rthe enlarged `portions 31 and are preferably secured by welding. The louter end of Vreel rod-` 29a and 29h `have pairs of oppositely ldisposed segmental jaws-4|, that cooperate respectivelyl with pairs of -oppositely disposed segmental jawsf42 (ligure' 5) `termed integral with worm wheels43.

The j aws 4| andi42 4are'rprefer'ably `circular sectors; of 601 and when inm cooperative positionfa 3 back lash, or lost motion of 60 exist between the worm wheels 43 and the reel rods 29. Arcuate plates 44 and 48 (Figure 2) are secured to each end of the cylinder 2| by bolts 41, and have bores 48 for receiving the worm wheels 43 and a portion of the bushings 34, that project beyond the end of the cylinder. Holes 49 (Figures 15) coaxial with the bores 48 extend through the plate 44Y and provide bearings for hubs 5| of the worm wheels 43, the inner hubs 58 of the worm wheels being journaled in the bores of the bushings 34. Square holes 52 extend axially through the worm wheels 43 and receive square spring rods 53, that extend through the bores 38 in the hollow reel rods 29a and 2811, and into the square holes 39 in the bushings 38. Pins 54, positioned inradially disposed holes 58 in the Worm wheels retain the inner blanket 16 is tucked in the slot 28 as shown at 81. The free end of the outer blanket 11 is folded back as shown at 88, and is pinned to the free end of the canvas sheet 6|a by pins 89. Then by means of a suitable Wrench (not shown) the worm 63a is operated to turn its worm wheel in a counterclockwise direction. This turns the spring rod 53, rotating bushing 38 and the reel rod 29a counter-clockwise to wind up the canvas strip Gla. The strip 6|a pulls the end of the outer blanket 11 into the gap 24 and draws it tight against the cylinder. When the middle sheet has rods 53 in the positions shown. The reel rods v 29a and 29h have flattened surfaces 51 extending lengthwise thereof, and segmental blanket holders 58 have their ends (Figure 15) held adjacent the surfaces 51 by the bushings 32 and 34.

Canvas strips 81a and 6|b are secured to the reel rods by having their inner ends wrapped around the blanket holders 58 and sewed to the body of the strip as at 59. The free ends of the strips extend through the slot 28 beyond the surface of the cylinder 2|. Worm wheels 43 are driven by worms 83a and 63h located in radial bores S4. Thrust washers G5 located toward the bottom of the bores 84, and bearing bushing 55 screwed into threaded portions 81 of the bores 34, rotatably support the worms 83a and 83D, that have wrench engaging portions 38 by which the worms may be rotated.

The radially disposed longitudinally extending slot 28 (Figure 14) has walls 69a and 59h that incline toward one another as the surface of the cylinder 2| is approached. Walls 63a and 53h are provided withlongitudinally extending recesses 12a and 12b respectively, having open portions 1' 3 and inclined embeddedportions 14. As herein shown the cylinder 2| carries inner and outer blankets 15 and 11 and a top sheet or draw sheet 18, but it will be understood that cylinder packing having a greater or lesser1 number` of plies of any suitable material may be used.

As herein shown, a blanket bar 18 (Figure 3A) and a hook bar 8|, that are approximately one half the length of the impression cylinder 2|, are fastened together by a plurality of screws 82 and thereby form a clamp to secure one end of the inner blanket 18 and one end of the outer blanket Y11 together. The bar 8i is provided with a longitudinally extending hook-shaped member 83, for engaging a V-shaped drawsheet clip 84 that is secured at each end by rivets 88 to the drawsheet 18 that is folded at 3|.

If it is assumed that the impression cylinder 2| is to be used for clockwise rotation as seen in Figures 11, l2 and 14, and if the canvas strips la and lb are in place and secured to the reel rods 29a and 29h, then the blankets 16 and 11, and the draw sheet 18 may be applied to the impression cylinder as follows:

Assuming that the outer ends of the blankets are cut square with the side edges, one end of the outer blanket 11 is placed in line with one end of the inner blanket 15, and the two are clamped together between the blanket bar 19 and the hook bar 8| by means of the screws 82. Then the bar 19 is inserted in the recess 12a., the cylinder 2| rotated clockwise as shown in Figure 11, and the blankets 16 and 11 are thus wrapped around the cylinder and the free end of the become tight enough to stop rotation of the reel rod 29a, continued turning of its worm 63a produces torsion in the spring rod 53 (Figure 9). The torsion, that may thus be produced, is limited by the amount of lost motion provided between thejaws 4| and 42. When these jaws engage, a continued turning of the worm 63a, and its Vworm wheel 43, stretches the blanket 11 without further distortion of the rod 53. After the jaws 4| and 42 engage, the reel rod 29a is driven from both ends, part of the turning force being applied by the spring 53 and part by the jaws 42. This decreases the amount of torsion that would have developed in the reel rod 29a had it been driven from only one end. The torsion produced in the rod 53 maintains strain on, the blanket and takes up any stretch that may develop therein.

The draw sheet 18, one end of which has previously been riveted to the U-shaped draw sheet clip 84, is then secured to the cylinder 2| as follows: (Figures 3, 3A and 12) The clip 84 on the end of the sheet 18 is inserted into the slot 28 so as to engage the hooked member 83. The cylinder 2| is again rotated and the draw sheet is wrapped around the cylinder over the blankets, and its free end is pinned to the free end of the second canvas strip 6|b (Figure 12) in much the same manner as that previously described for the blanket 11 and canvas strip 81a. Thereafter the strip @lo and sheet 18 are folded as at 92 (Figure 12) and the wrench is used to turn the worm 63h. This turns its worm wheel 43 and also the spring rod 53, bushing 38 and the reel rod 29h in a clockwise direction, and winds up the draw sheet 18 and pulls it tight against the cylinder. Continued turning of the worm 63h torsions the spring rod 53 and tensions the draw sheet 18 in the same manner as described for the blanket 11. v

The operation of an impression cylinder against a plate cylinder often causes the blanket and the draw sheet to creep and stretch. In the mechanism herein described,'any looseness due to stretching of the blanket 11 or the draw sheet 18 will be immediately taken up by the spring rods 53.

It should be noted that the cylinder 2| is symmetrical in .that both walls 69a and 69h are provided with similar recesses 12a and 12b and that the reel rods 28a and 29h are symmetrically placed in the symmetrical gap 24. By this arrangement the blankets and draw sheet can be applied to the cylinder in a reverse manner to that shown inthe drawings, if it is desired to operate the machine with the printing cylinders rotating in the opposite direction.

A modied form of the invention is shown in Figure 16, wherein a single blanket or sheet |8| is spring tensioned on a printing cylinder |02 by a coiled spring |83 acting on a worm |84. The cylinder |02 is provided with a longitudinally disposed gap |06 having communieating bores |01 and |88 and a slot |89 having walls |H and H2 extending from the bores to the surface of the cylinder. A rod H3, rotatably positioned in the bore |01, carries a clamp H4 located in the slot |00 and secured to the rod H3 by screws H6. A radial bore H1, has a threaded portion H8 into which is screwed a nut H9, having a threaded hole |2|. A screw |22, equipped with a snap ring |23 and a screw driven slot |24, is screwed into the hole |2| and engages an upper face of an arm |26, that extends radially from one end of the rod H3. The lower face of the lever |26 is engaged by a spherical end of a pin |21, that is biased toward the lever by a spring |28. 'I'he clamp H4, clamps one end of the blanket |0| or other packing used against the wall IH, when the screw |22 is turned to force the arm |26 against the compression spring |28. When the screw |22 is turned in the opposite direction the clamp H4 is opened by the spring.

A reel rod |3|, that carries a worm wheel |30 is rotatably mounted in the bore |08 and provided with means (not shown) but preferably such as is shown in Figure 11, by which the free end of the blanket |0| can be secured thereto. The worm |04, positioned in a radial bore |32 has a wrench engaging head |33 and gudgeons |34 and |36, that are rotatably supported in bushings |31 and |38 respectively. The bushing |31 is pressed into the bottom of the bore A.

|32, and the bushing |38 is screwed into a threaded portion |39 thereof.

A blanket or other packing may be applied to the cylinder |02 as follows: loosening the screw |22 allows the spring pressed pin |21 to move the arm |26 and the rod H3 in a clockwise direction. This moves the clamp member H4 away from the wall |H and provides space for insertion of one end of the blanket |0|. After the end is in place, the screw |22 is tightened to rotate the arm |26 and the rod H3 counterclockwise to clamp the blanket against the wall HI. The cylinder |02 is then rotated clockwise wrapping the blanket thereabout and its free end is attached to the reel rod |3|, after which, the worm |04 and reel rod |3| are rotated by a wrench applied to the head |33 to tighten the blanket. Continued turning of the worm |04, after the worm wheel |30 has come to a stop, causes the worm to move axially into the bore |32 against the compression spring |03. If the blanket stretches during operation of the machine, the spring |03 will move the worm |04 outwardly and rotate the worm wheel |30 and rod |3| and keep the blanket tight on the cylinder.

While the invention as herein disclosed is applied to a newspaper printing machine in which relatively soft blankets are used on an impression cylinder, it will be understood that the invention may be used on impression cylinders of magazine presses, which use paper, cardboard, or relatively hard cylinder packing, and it is also applicable to the blanket cylinders of planographic off-set printing machines in which the impression is transferred from a printing plate to a printing blanket carried on a blanket cylinder, and then again transferred to a web or sheet. In fact, the invention is applicable to any machine having a blanket or the like, that is wrapped about a cylinder and which it is necessary to keep under tension while running. Hence, the word blanket as herein used, is intended to include any flexible material that is wrapped about a cylinder and held under tension in a machine operating on webs or sheets.

It ywill be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the claim rather than to the foregoing description for an indication of the scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

A printing machine cylinder having a mechanism for securing blankets on the cylinder, the securing mechanism including a means for attaching one end of the blanket to the cylinder, a reel rod rotatably mounted in the cylinder and to which the other end of the blanket may be attached, a worm wheel for rotating the reel rod. a worm for rotating the worm wheel, bearings for rotatably supporting the worm and allowing the worm to move axially therein, and a spring for biasing the worm in one direction in the said bearings.

W'ILLIAM F. HUCK. FRANZ HELLER. ALEXANDER J. ALBRECHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the i'lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,715,893 Bertinetti et al June 4, 1929 2,541,254 Huck et al. Feb. 13, 1951 

